The Isles of Axesa
by Master Cyphon
Summary: A boy with a strange power finds a partner in a small Pokemon with an obscure past, and together, they embark on an adventure that will not only change their lives, but the world as well.


_I'll try not to bore you with too much of this. My warnings for this chapter include a small amount of blood, and a hint of mature content. _

_Please comment on what you'd like to see from this fiction, and critique it as you see fit. All comments are appreciated._

_Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Pokemon or it's affiliations, and make no monetary profit from producing this fan-fiction._

**-1-**

Seraphine watched her brother pack his backpack full of things he might need. As he put each item into his bag, he made note of it on the new poketch he'd gotten for his 15th birthday. He'd already packed enough supplies to last him quite a while, but, this being the first time he'd ever left his home town, he was a bit nervous. Seraphine sat in a nearby chair before asking "Mael, you sure you're ready to leave? You seem a bit spooked." Mael turned to his sister, a small smile upon his lips. "Don't worry, Sarah. I'm just anxious to see the world..." He looked back at his bag, a small chuckle escaping him "But yeah, I'm a little scared. The world's an intimidating concept compared to Bright Moon town, you know?" Seraphine thought about it for a moment, but shook her head, unable to imagine much beyond the sheltered little town. "I guess you're right... But you still don't have to pack your entire room, you know." Mael looked confused until he saw his bag out of the corner of his eye. He laughed and said "I guess I'm a little more nervous than I thought." He took most of the stuff out of his bag, then put it back in his electronic storage box. Seraphine nodded her approval at the lighter bag, and Mael went over to the stairs. He smiled back at his sister and said, "I hope you leave town one day, too. I'm not sure how I'll do without you watching my back." Seraphine smiled and said, "You'll do great, Mael. Don't worry about it." She tossed him his hat and jacket, and Mael went down the stairs.

Mael went down three flights to the ground floor of the orphanage, where he was well known. He usually hung out in the lobby, greeting people and helping them look for a child to adopt. People would often inquire about him, usually referring to "The kind young man", for lack of other ways to describe him. His hair was dark, it's shade indiscernible. He had a lighter skin tone almost everyone in town. His eyes where blue, with a hint of purple around the iris. These exotic properties made him seem alien, but no one ever complained of his company. This was probably because he was as kind as the lady who owned the orphanage, whom everyone called Grandma. Today, she was sitting outside the building, feeding the group of birds that had flocked to her. Mael's approach didn't spook them, though a few watched him walk by. He smiled as he said, "Good morning, Grandma. Nice weather today, eh?" She nodded and said, "Considering it's the beginning of November, I guess so. How's that Poketch we gave you?" The "We" she was referring to was the entire staff of the orphanage. They'd all chipped in for it, and Grandma had sent it straight to the Sinnoh Poketch Company, who sent back the base watch and quite a few aps, including the checklist ap he'd been using earlier. "Thank you, it's doing fine" He said "But I've got a bit of news. I'd like to become a Pokemon Trainer. Seraphine has agreed to help you greet the adopters, so not much will change." Grandma looked up at Mael and smiled. "First off, you don't need my blessings to become a trainer, but you have them anyway. Second, when a child leaves the orphanage, It's always a big change. Don't make your part here seem like nothing. You and your sister have both helped everyone here in some way, even me. For that, I thank you." She leaned up and said "Just have a little mercy as you change the world, eh?" She chuckled as she sat back, tossing more food to the birds. Mael smiled and said, "Thank you, grandma. I will." With that, he was off to the Axesa Pokemon Research Center, one of the other two large buildings in town.

A quick jog from the Orphanage brought him to the front door of the APRC, which was as attractive as it was functional. Professor Acacia, one of Mael's friends, was standing right outside, rummaging through the bushes. Mael walked up beside her, leaned over close and said "Nice mini-skirt, Nyra." Nyra Acacia stood straight up, blushing dark red. Mael smiled as she turned a glare on him. "Are you looking for something, Nyra? You seemed a bit absorbed." Nyra narrowed her eyes and said, "You didn't see anything?" The corner of Mael's mouth twitched as he replied, "No. Perhaps I can help you find what you're looking for?" She scowled at him for a moment, then looked back at the bush. "One of the Pokemon ran away. I can't find her anywhere." Mael could almost feel the tears welling behind the iron mask Nyra put on to hide them. Mael smiled and said "I'll find Leayda for you. Don't worry." She shot him a confused look and he shrugged. "I can just tell." He heard a sound to his left, and he walked towards it. When Mael was a yard from the bush he was sure the sound had come from, he had to dodge a pound attack from a little brown blur. He managed to catch Leayda before she hit the ground, however, and turned the little Pokemon so he could look her in the eye. He could tell she was scared almost witless, but they made eye contact none the less. Slowly, the little rabbit Pokemon relaxed, and Mael brought her back over to the dumbstruck Professor. Mael smiled and said "Must have been the howling last night that spooked her. Buneary aren't particularly found of poochyena... or any dog Pokemon, for that matter. Anyway, I'm here for my first Pokemon. I'd like to become a trainer..." He waited patiently for the moment it took for Nyra to catch up. "Oh... Okay, come on in... I was wondering why you hadn't stopped by yesterday like you normally do."

They soon stood before a machine with three poke balls on it, each one set before a label with a symbol on it. The first symbol was a leaf, and as they approached, a hologram depicted the Pokemon inside. The Pokemon resembled a little green gecko with wings, but it had a pair of vines curving back off its head. "Draceed, the Seed dragon Pokemon. Draceed tend to travel in family groups with the elder Dracea and Dragaia." The computerized voice was coming through speakers built into the machine. Mael shook his head and moved on to the next Pokemon. The second symbol was a water drop, and the hologram looked like a little ball of fuzz wit a pair of black eyes. "Wefuez, the small urchin Pokemon. A generally stubborn Pokemon that will make massive groups in hidden areas at the bottom of the sea." Mael sighed and moved to the final poke ball, a small flame on it's label. The hologram showed a little yellow cat with a small red gem on it's forehead. "Friskub. The Firecub Pokemon. The gem on friskub's forehead Helps it focus it's rudimentary psychic power. It also allows slight insight into the Pokemons nature." Mael made a face and walked around the machine again, looking at the same image and listening to the same information again. Mael frowned, an odd expression for him, and sat down in one of the two chairs in the room. Nyra sat in the other before asking "What's wrong, Mael? You look like you're about to dismantle that machine." Mael sighed and rubbed his for head. "I can't decide. None of them hit the right chord... Friskub comes close with a very strong spirit and plenty of energy... Wefuez has a placidity that I love and a conviction I admire. The pure grace Draceed has is awe inspiring, as well as his speed... Any one Pokemon i choose, i take two good qualities, and give up four... It's a very difficult choice for me." He made another face and leaned back in his chair. "Look at me, complaining about becoming a trainer already. I must look pretty selfish..." Nyra was smiling when he looked back up. Not to mention she was rather close. "You know..." She whispered, as if trying to keep a secret. "These aren't the only Pokemon you can start with. Like me and Leayda... Many people don't choose one of those three." Mael smiled and asked, "May I see them?" "Sure, just let me go get a set of the room keys." She ran off, but bumped into one of the research assistants who had apparently just come from one of the rooms. She came back with the key in hand, and said "Alright, we're off to room 3-6. We'll take the elevator.

The elevator ride was short, leaving only enough time for Mael to decide what kind of Pokemon he might want. The room they wanted was towards the other end of the hall, but Mael was getting a little nervous. His worries where that no Pokemon would want him as a partner, that he'd be judged unfit to handle Pokemon, that he was being a perfectionist and wasting everyone's time. He'd only just begun worrying when Professor Acacia opened the door. Only one Pokemon was in this room, and Professor Acacia seemed confused. Mael walked into the room, oblivious to Acacia's obvious confusion and growing concern. There was another machine in the room, but it's information and picture where displayed on a small screen. The Pokemon, who had been lying on top of the machine, quickly jumped of it so she could hide behind it. '_Please leave me alone..._' a small voice said. Mael looked around and said, "Is anyone else in here?" "No, and I don't think we should be either... Room 3-6 was unoccupied two days ago. I haven't seen anything about a Ralts being in here..." "Ralts, huh?" Mael mused "Interesting..." Mael thought for a moment, and took a step forward, eliciting a fearful, but quiet squeal from the Ralts. '_Please don't come any closer... Please don't hurt me..._' Mael stopped, noticing that the voice was in his head. He tried thinking back to it; '_I don't want to hurt you. Please come out._' The little Pokemon poked it's head around the pedestal, allowing Mael a look at it's blue hair and red eyes. Mael smiled encouragingly, then sat on the floor. '_I promise not to hurt you. Please come out._' '_Promise? No Lies?_' asked the small voice. Mael showed Ralts his palms and said '_Promise. No lies._' Ralts came out slowly, shaking visibly, but there was a little trust in her eyes. She came over to Mael and stood before him awkwardly, still quite obviously afraid. Despite her nervousness, however, she started to relax as she noted what Mael was feeling. '_Kindness, happiness, loneliness, nervousness... Why are you nervous?_' '_Erm... That's the tricky part... However, I did promise, so no lies... I..._' Nyra, whom was still standing outside the door, said quietly "Dammit, Mael, what the hell are you doing?! We've _really_ got to go!" Mael turned to her, and said aloud "Just give me a minute, please, Nyra. Ralts seems to have just about the right tempo for me..." Nyra scoffed as Mael turned back to Ralts, who'd resumed her shaking. '_She's angry... and afraid..._' '_Don't worry, I won't let her hurt you. I'll protect you as best i can, if you'll let me._' Ralt's eyes got big as she looked up at Mael '_Really?_' '_Yes. All you have to do is ask. All I ask is you come with me. Be my partner. Please?_' Ralts stepped forward awkwardly, then jumped at him, an awkward smile on her face. '_I believe I can trust you.. Yes, i will come with you...Will you accept the same promise from me?_' Mael simply nodded with an easy smile. She returned the smile, and Mael could almost feel her trust growing. After a moment Ralt's released Maels neck and looked up at him, a question plain in her eyes. '_By the way, I'm Aylis. What can i call you?_' Mael smiled and said '_My name is Mael Chantal. Nice to meat you, Aylis_'

Nyra, whom had been pacing outside for the duration of the conversation, said "Are you done yet? 'Cause we should go now." "Yeah, I'm done..." Usually he'd have stopped there, but the urgency in her voice prompted him to ask, "But what's up?" she gave him a glare full of so much venom that some dripped from her words, "Well, there are a few scary guys in uniform coming from the elevator, and the only thing I can guess they'd want so bad as to come into my lab without my authorization is a rarely colored Pokemon that shouldn't be in my lab, either." '_She is even more scared than before. Why?_' Mael tried to relay the message, but as soon as he got to the men, she squeaked and hid in his jacket, shaking violently. Mael looked up at Nyra, but spoke to both of them at the same time "_Those men will not get Aylis._" The effect was unnerving at best, and all Nyra could do, even in her state, was nod. Mael stood, making sure Aylis didn't fall, and jogged over to get her ball. As soon as he had it in his hand, the three left the room as quickly and quietly as possible, opting to take the elevator opposite of the men. Mael's group reached the elevator as soon as the men rounded the bend to the room. As soon as they knew the room was empty, they began to scatter, presumably to look for Aylis. Mael looked at Nyra and said "If it's not to much trouble, I could come over to your house and I can explain what I know." Nyra sighed out an affirmative as they reached the ground floor, and they left the building for her house.

Once there, Nyra locked the door and turned to Mael, who was taking of his shoes. Aylis was lying on the floor taking a nap, as she had been before Mael and Nyra had woken her up. Mael said, "There shouldn't have been a ralts in your lab, or any men in uniform. So, that lab assistant shouldn't have been carrying a key to that room, so my guess is he put Aylis in there..." Nyra interrupted "Aylis? Do you mean ralts? Why do you keep calling her Aylis?" "Because her name is Aylis, and i'll get to how I know that in a minute. Anyway, Aylis knows the men in uniform, and she's very afraid of them. I'm guessing it's because they've been hurting her somehow. Now is the weird part. While you were stressing out, I was... um... I guess it could be called talking to her. She was afraid of me at first, but i got her to trust me, and to be my partner. So now, I have a partner who is wanted by some unknown organization who she's afraid of, and I think I'd like to go on my adventure despite this." During this narration, they had wandered to the living room and where now sitting on the couch. Nyra took a moment to absorb what Mael had told her and said, "Okay... Well, at least you got the partner you wanted." She smiled weakly, but Mael returned it none the less. "Yeah, I guess I did. Hey, um... Do you know anything about how I can communicate with Ralts?" Nyra snapped out of her reverie "Hm? Oh, yeah... Um, It usually happens to people who've trained to heighten their mental abilities just so they can talk to their Pokemon, but there are a few cases where those who don't know anything about psionics developed psychic powers. I only know there are a few others, but i don't know anything about them, or there power. I guess i can look into it, but it will probably take a while..." Mael gave his best winning smile and said "Would you do that for me? I'd really appreciate it, Nyra." Nyra grimaced, but said, "Alright, but you owe me, Mael." To Nyra's surprise, Mael hugged her "Really, thanks Nyra. It means a lot." Nyra mumbled a "your welcome", thinking '_This guy is just TOO unpredictable._'

After exchanging goodbyes, Nyra went back to work, and Mael, with Aylis sitting on his shoulder, headed for the road. Aylis was even more nervous than Mael had been earlier on that morning. Apparently, she'd never seen the world, either. '_Have you ever been outside your ball for anything more than what they did?_' '_No..._' She said sadly.'_I was hatched in a small room, my parents already long gone. They started hurting me before I was completely out of the shell..._' Mael could feel a bit of anger in the deep sorrow and said '_You shouldn't brood over things of the past. I doubt they'll come after us now..._ _we should just look forward towards all the good times we'll have, instead of backwards at the bad._' Aylis nodded her understanding '_I guess you're right... I'll try to look forward._' Mael smiled and patted the little Pokemon on the head '_There's a good girl. Let's see what we can do out here, huh?_' Aylis smiled back in spite of her self. '_Ok, Let's. I'll do my best._' They'd reached the start of the road out of Bright Moon, but a man stepped out of the shadows. He said, "My, what a pair you two make." Mael's eyes narrowed, but the guy jumped and said "Oh, no! I meant you two are both different from the norm! I'm sorry, didn't mean it to sound like that..." Mael's smile returned and he said, "No worries. It happens to all of us. Did you want something?" "Actually, yeah. It was a long walk, and I was wondering if you'd like a friendly battle? 1 on 1?" Mael looked at Aylis and relayed the request. She had a bit of doubt in her eyes, but she nodded. '_Don't worry, just do your best, okay?_'

She nodded again, then hopped off his shoulder and stood.She was awkward, but ready. "We accept. I'm Mael, and this is Aylis. Ready when you are." "I'm Rysam. I'll be using skorupi. Let's go." Aylis hesitated, obviously a little confused. '_What should I do?_' '_Show me what you've got. We'll go from there._' Rysam shouted "skorupi, Bite!" skorupi lunged quickly at Aylis, his jowls wide open and ready to rend flesh. Aylis avoided skorupi's fangs for the most part, but glancing blow across her arm made her yelp in pain. She threw a ball of blue fire at skorupi, which hit him on the arm and left a nasty burn. skorupi didn't slow down, however, and leered menacingly at her, making the little Pokemon shake violently. '_Hang in there, Aylis... I know you can do it._' Aylis set her feet and directly after, skorupi was hit squarely in the back. All in the battle noticed the Aylis's shadow returning to her at the same time, and adjusted their plans accordingly. skorupi lunged and tried to sting Aylis, but she managed to move out of the way in time. She loosed her shadow after skorupi, who attempted a dodge, but wasn't quite fast enough to avoid the attack. skorupi looked pretty tired now, but it managed to use rock tomb none the less, trapping Aylis, much to her distress. Mael thought quickly '_One more time, Aylis! Hang in there! Once more_' "_Shadowsneak!_" He said it aloud and psychically, causing his voice to reverberate slightly, unnerving all who heard it except Aylis. She complied swiftly, but skorupi had been expecting it, and managed to avoid all but a scrape. He started to move towards her, intending to finish the battle, but he over stretched his burned flesh. He winced as he collapsed, the pain from the burn pushing him over his limit. Relieved, Mael ran over to Aylis and asked as he dug her out '_Are you al right?_' '_Yes, just a little tired. I'll be fine, Mael. Thank you..._' He pulled out a potion and picked her up, spraying the bleeding bite wound. Aylis winced, but did not complain.

Mael said turned to Rysam, who was tending to the K.O'.d skorupi and said "The lab in town has a healing unit, if he needs it. We would head there as well, but we're both very eager to be on our way. That was a rough first battle, though..." Rysam looked up at him, his eyebrow raised, "This was your first battle? You and Aylis did pretty well for this to be your first battle. Guess I was right about you two being quite a pair... Anyway, here's the prize money..." Rysam tossed Mael a small bag of money, "And you have my gratitude for that great battle. I guess I'll see you around." The guy chuckled and shook Mael's hand and walked into town. Aylis tugged on Mael's shirt, and he looked down at the blue haired ralts in is arms. '_How did I do...?_' She asked tentatively, both craving and dreading the answer. Mael smiled at her, his pride apparent '_You performed wonderfully. Don't doubt yourself: you have a terrific intuition._' Aylis smiled and blushed at the compliments as Mael put her back on his shoulder. Once she was on his shoulder again, she promptly hugged him about the neck and said '_Thank you, Mael..._' The new trainer, however, had been distracted by a rolling object on the road, and went to investigate. The object turned out to be an egg, which Mael picked up, his curiosity piqued. He looked left and right, searching for the owner of the egg, but none was to be found, and Mael was stuck with a dilemma. As he turned the egg over in his hands, Mael muttered, "Now what am I going to do with you...?" Aylis checked his feelings and effectively guessed what he was thinking. '_We can't just leave it here. And going back to that place..._' '_The lab?_' Mael offered, to which Aylis nodded and continued, '_Going back to the lab would probably be a mistake. I think it'd be best if we brought it with us._' Mael nodded thoughtfully, considering what she said. '_Alright then. We'll hold on to it, and if anyone lays claim to it, we'll return it._' With both Aylis and Mael satisfied, they continued on towards the next town, searching for the adventure that awaited them.

One of the many shadows in the Forrest on either side of the road moved, watching the strange pair walking down the road. The figure smiled and whispered, "_**Lo and behold, it begins.**_" It disappeared without anyone having ever known it was there.

_Please post your thoughts and expectations. Again, all comments are appreciated_


End file.
